The Photo-Drama of Creation (1914)--Scanned PDF format!

by cabasilas 11 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • cabasilas
    cabasilas

    The Photo-Drama of Creation (1914) in scanned PDF format (117 MB). Info on the book and directions on how to download it below:

    Most of the material from the Scenario of the Photo Drama of Creation is online in various formats by various Bible Student groups, but this PDF file consists of scanned images from the original volume as published by the Watch Tower Society. Many, but not all, of the html versions online omit the last 6 sections. In the last 6 sections Russell explained his view that people were already living in the Time of the End before 1914. For example, page 91 shows a picture of one of the locks of the Panama Canal which showed how, in Russell's opinion, "knowledge shall be increased" as part of the sign of the Time of the End.

    Some background and info on the Photo Drama of Creation:

    From Jehovah's Witnesses: Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, p. 59, 561:

    Imagine the historic scene: In January 1914, during the era of silent movies, an audience of 5,000 gathered at The Temple, a building on West 63rd Street, in New York City. Many others had to be turned away. The occasion? Why, the premiere in New York of the "Photo-Drama of Creation"! Before the audience was a large motion-picture screen. As they watched—and listened—something truly amazing happened. C. T. Russell, then in his early 60's, appeared on the screen. His lips began to move, and his words could be heard! As the presentation continued, it took those in attendance—by means of words, color pictures, and music—from earth's creation to the end of Christ's Millennial Reign. During the presentation they also saw (by means of time-lapse photography) other things that astounded them—the unfolding of a flower and the hatching of a chick. They were truly impressed!

    By the end of 1914, the "Photo-Drama" had been presented before millions of persons in North America, Europe, New Zealand, and Australia. The "Photo-Drama" certainly proved to be an effective means of reaching masses of people in a relatively short period of time.

    After two years of preparation, the first exhibition of the "Photo-Drama of Creation" was given in January 1914. The "Photo-Drama" was presented in four parts. The eight-hour program included motion pictures and slides, coordinated with voice recordings. It was truly an extraordinary production that was designed to build up appreciation for the Bible and God's purpose as set out in it. Showings were organized so that 80 cities could be served each day. Advance advertising was done by means of newspapers, a generous number of window signs, and the distribution of large amounts of free printed matter designed to stimulate interest in the "Photo-Drama." Wherever it was shown, crowds turned out to see it. Within a year the "Photo-Drama" had reached audiences totaling upwards of 8,000,000 persons in the United States and Canada, and further capacity crowds were being reported from Britain and the European continent as well as Australia and New Zealand. The "Photo-Drama" was followed by a somewhat shorter version (without the motion pictures) for use in smaller towns and country areas. In various languages the Drama continued in use for at least two decades. Much interest was stirred up, names of interested ones were turned in, and follow-up calls were made...

    In 1912, Russell and his associates embarked on a bold educational venture that was far ahead of its time. In fact, it was to reach millions of people worldwide. It was the "Photo-Drama of Creation"—a combination motion picture and slide presentation, synchronized with musical recordings and phonograph-record talks. It was about eight hours in length and was presented in four parts. Besides the regular "Photo-Drama," the "Eureka Drama," consisting of either the recorded lectures and musical recordings or the records plus the slides, was also made available. Though it lacked motion pictures, it was successfully presented in less densely populated areas.

    Mentioned in a short article in the New York Times on January 9, 1914 was info on the New York upcoming premiere of Pastor Russell's Photo Drama of Creation:

    http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C02E4DF1E39E633A2575AC0A9679C946596D6CF

    (click on "view full article" to read the accompanying article "Bible Pictures To Be Free")

    The short lectures from the Photo Drama were published in book form. This is how the book was described:

    DeLuxe Edition, complete, $1.00. This cloth-bound, giltedged edition contains all the short lectures (96) and nearly 400 illustrations, printed on fine coated paper. Each purchaser is entitled to Reserved Seat tickets to all three parts of The Photo-Drama of Creation, free.

    Here are a few statements from the book:

    Melchisedec is supposed to have been one of the Shepherd Kings who invaded Egypt and built the Great Pyramid, covering twelve acres, known for ages as one of the Seven Wonders of the world--about 2170 B.C. Astronomers tell that its measurements indicate the length of the year, the weight of the Earth, the distance to the sun, etc. Its interior passages represent human history--Downward, the course of sin and death; Upward, the Law Age, the Gospel Age, the Kingdom glory of the Church, and Human Restitution. (p. 25)
    Job was wealthy, honored and prosperous. Suddenly disaster came upon him. A bolt of lightning struck the house where his sons and daughters were having a birthday party. They were all killed. (p. 26)
    Bible students reason that if the entire number of Jubilees was to be seventy, and if the Jubilee cycles were forty-nine years each, then seventy cycles from the time the Jubilees were instituted would mark the beginning of the Antitypical Jubilee--the "Times of Restitution." This they reckon somewhere about the year A.D. 1874. Many hold that we are living in the time when the Antitypical Jubilee is being inaugurated; mankind will return gradually to all their rights and privileges for a thousand years. The present social unrest is incidental to the great change. We are living in the beginning of the New Era. Growing intelligence is bringing emancipation, and shortly the Messianic Kingdom will multiply the blessings and wipe out the curse.--Revelation 21:4,5. (p. 48)
    Between Zedekiah and Messiah, there has been a long period of time. During this period God gave a lease of government to the Gentile Kingdoms, represented in Nebuchadnezzar's Image. That lease of power to rule the world as best they could was to last for "seven times"--seven symbolic years, each day of which (lunar time) would represent a year. Thus "seven times" would mean seven times three hundred and sixty, that is, 2520 years. That period is apparently due to expire in 1915. In other words, very soon the Gentile lease of Earthly Dominion expires. Then the due time will come for Messiah's Kingdom to begin its reign. This seems to explain present social unrest. (p. 50)

    Everybody knows that stimulated by printing there has been a greater development of knowledge along every line within the past century than during the preceding fifty-nine centuries. Everybody knows that the telegraph, telephone, wireless, electric lights, gas lights, steam railroads, electric roads, machinery, conveniences, etc., of our day were all unknown a century ago...

    But although we know this to be true, it seems almost incomprehensible to the rising generation. These things have come so gradually that few realize that they are foregleams of the great thousand-year Day of Messiah's Kingdom in which the curse will be fully removed, and instead the blessing long- promised of God will be outpoured upon humanity abundantly.

    God describes our day in Daniel's prophecy, saying, In the Time of the End (of this Age), many shall run to and fro; knowledge shall be increased; the wise shall understand... and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation.--Daniel 12:1-10; Matthew 24:21.

    Are we not in the midst of the running to and fro which this prophecy predicted? We must, therefore, be living today in the period designated the Time of the End--the time in which this Age will gradually close and the New Age will gradually dawn with greater blessings. The first locomotive was built only ninety years ago. Now, in every land, multitudes are running to and fro, whose grandfathers probably never traveled fifty miles from their birthplace. Surely no prophecies could be more accurately fulfilled than this one.

    Who but God could have known and foretold this marked peculiarity of our day? (p. 90)

    Daniel not only declared that our day would be marked by running to and fro, but also gave another indication: "Knowledge shall be increased." Surely we have this fulfilment also. Instead of plowing with a crooked stick, we have up-to-date steam-plows which accomplish a hundred times the work. Contrast writing upon stone and upon parchment, laborious and expensive, with our modern printing. Contrast the beginning of printing with today!

    Year by year we see the Earth preparing for full inhabitation. Recent earthquakes closed some and opened other channels of the Japan Stream, affecting the climate of Alaska and the Arctic zone remarkably. Gradually the glaciers in the form of icebergs are running out and dissolving in the more Equatorial waters. Gradually the Earth is preparing to blossom as the rose. Gradually the curse will be removed and the blessing of God will be substituted.--Isaiah 35:1. (p. 91)

    Many thanks to AlphaOmega and Atlantis for the help and advice as I was preparing this file. The scanning was done at 600 DPI to to enhance the quality of the illustrations but makes this a huge file, 117 MB.

    Directions for downloading: go to the link below from the filesharing site. Towards the bottom of that page a yellow download button will appear after a short countdown. Click on that and you can begin your download.

    http://www.filesend.net/download.php?f=eda31f32e661ae2c8d525dcc21242b23

  • Merry Magdalene
    Merry Magdalene

    Thank you Cabasilas, Alpha Omega and Atlantis!

    ~Merry

  • Atlantis
    Atlantis

    Cabasilas:

    Excellent work my friend! Keep em coming!

    Cheers! Atlantis-

  • Atlantis
    Atlantis

    Merry Magdalene:

    Thank you Merry for your kindness! We appreciate your posts as well!

    Cheers! Atlantis & N.

  • Atlantis
    Atlantis

    AlphaOmega:

    A big "thank you" to AlphaOmega for his help also!

    Cheers! Atlantis-

  • AlphaOmega
    AlphaOmega

    Thanks for providing this Cabasilas - it's excellent... so a warm flat beer for you :

    ...and one for you Mr Atlantis

  • cabasilas
    cabasilas

    Thanks, Merry, Atlantis, and AlphaOmega! For those interested, you can see much of the original film of the Photo Drama at this site:

    http://allenspringer.com/pdoc/menu.htm

    Be patient, as it takes awhile to load the films.

  • avishai
    avishai

    thank you!

  • mavie
    mavie

    Thanks!

  • VM44
    VM44

    Great work Cabasilas!

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